Nature's Canvas - overnight | HPGE Visual Art camp
Program
Gibberagong Environmental Education Centre's Nature's Canvas – Overnight Program is a curriculum-aligned High Potential and Gifted Education (HPGE) visual arts camp for Years 7–12 students. Set amongst the spectacular bushland and waterways of Bobbin Head in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, students immerse themselves in nature through bushwalking, field sketching, canoeing and studio-based artmaking. Working alongside specialist visual arts teachers and optional artists in residence, students develop an artist's book, experiment with mixed media and refine their own body of work while extending creativity, critical thinking and artistic practice within the creative domain of the NSW HPGE framework.
The program is particularly valuable for students considering Stage 6 Visual Arts and major project development.
Individual schools are welcome to create their own art camp and focus on bodies of work which prepares students for their major submissions.
This is a wonderful immersive art experience which encourages students’ wellbeing, emotional connection with the environment and supports the diverse range of artistic talent.
Key information
Learning activities
Students will participate in a variety of activities. These activities may include:
Drawing foundations
The day commences with the students participating in a series of icebreaking drawing activities and warm-up sketches. These drawings will provide a strong base for the artworks that students will produce as the day progresses. Students will be required to assemble an art kit for their bush walk and begin the construction of an artist book.
Bush walk
During the walk, the students will explore parts of the park and different viewpoints to inspire their artworks. This will also provide them with an opportunity to consider what they value aesthetically in this area. There will be the opportunity to take photographs and record sketches to use later in their artist’s book.
Cultural site visit
The students will visit and learn about important cultural and historical sites, including an Aboriginal engraving site, deepening their understanding of landscape, Country and place as artistic inspiration.
Field sketch
The students will visit a lookout with views over the landscape. There they will be required to immerse themselves in nature and complete an artistic sketch to identify the landforms and describe the landscape that shapes this area.
Bush Studio activities
The students will return to the studio to use a range of mixed media to create experimental artworks inspired by their immersion in nature. Students will use aspects of the natural world as a source of ideas, concepts and subject matter for their artmaking.
Canoeing
Paddle through the pristine waterways of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and experience the landscape from a whole new perspective.
Mini art exhibition of student artworks in progress
Students will set up a mini exhibition of their artworks in progress for their parents and carers. Students will identify the intention, audience and context for their mini exhibition and display of artworks.
Suggested timetable
| Day 1 | |
| 9.00am |
Welcome to Gibberagong Acknowledgement of Country Orientation/setup room/unpack |
| 9.30am |
Art kit assembly Preliminary artist book construction |
| 10.00am | Bushwalk and art immersion |
| 10.30am | Morning tea (from home) |
| 10.50am | Bushwalk and art immersion cont. |
| 12.30pm | Lunch (from home) |
| 1.10pm | Bush studio activities |
| 4.00pm | Afternoon tea (Supplied by GEEC) |
| 4.30pm |
Personal time Embodied mark making |
| 6.00pm | Free time and dinner preparation |
| 6.30pm | Dinner |
| 7.30pm | Night activity |
| 9.00pm | Bedtime |
| Day 2 | |
| 7.00am | Sit spot wellbeing activity |
| 8.00am | Breakfast and pack up gear |
| 9.00am |
Canoeing Or visiting teacher led art activity |
| 10.30am | Morning Tea |
| 10.50am |
Visiting teacher led art activity Sample: Sculptural abstraction workshop |
| 12.30pm | Lunch |
| 1.10pm |
Visting teacher led art activity Sample: Monoprinting Collate artists’ book and mini exhibition / artist statement |
| 2.00pm | Camp close |
Syllabus outcomes
Cost and details
| Transport |
Schools are required to organise transport for students to and from the location. Map for access to venue will be sent with the confirmation. |
| Cost |
2026 DoE schools
2026 Non-gov schools
|
| Specialist art teacher available dates |
*Note: Specialist art teacher is available on selected dates. Alternatively your school is welcome to ffacilitate the art program for your students and a GEEC teacher will escort your bush walk and immersive experience at Bobbin Head. |
| Risk assessment | A complete risk assessment will be sent upon confirmation. |
| What to bring | An information package will be sent to the nominated teacher. |
| Teacher support | If you would like additional support with a GEEC teacher please contact the centre. |
| Adverse weather |
On days where the weather is unsuitable (see risk assessment), a Gibberagong staff member will contact the organising teacher to discuss alternative arrangements. Please check your bus company’s cancellation policy. |
| Medical notifications | Notify Gibberagong EEC by completing and returning the medical form before the excursion. This form will be sent out upon confirmation of booking. |
|
Canoe information (only applicable to those who book a canoe experience with their excursion) |
Please refer to the DoE policies for canoe activities to ensure your students meet the requirements before attending: Canoeing recreational |
Patrick Shirvington
2023, 2024 and 2025 artist in residence, Patrick Shirvington, is an accomplished children’s book illustrator and artist. Shirvington’s work investigates his relationship to the natural world through drawing, believing the practice of drawing is fundamental to the cognitive process and to opening doors to the unseen. Working with a variety of mediums, his artmaking looks at the natural world surrounding us, firstly bringing attention to the picture surface, followed by a deeper revelation. The Arts Unit.
Sia Cox
2023, 2024 and 2025 artist in residence Sia Cox. Sia is a fun and outgoing artist. Mixed media and texture is her speciality and embraces all things natural to create, sculpt and be immersed in the artistic process. Sia says "... there is no right or wrong way to produce a body of work which is meangful and courageous".
Emily Besser
2024 and 2025 artist in residence, Emily Besser, an engaging and inspiring artist who sources inspiration from the natural and built environments. Emily "... approaches each work with no expectation of a particular outcome." Using a number of different techiques Emily inspires students to be true to themselves and express themeselves through their art in an honest and meaningful way.
Excursion location
Artist in residence image gallery
